PORTSMOUTH are ready to step up their bid to sign Liverpool striker Peter Crouch as it emerged that the FA Cup winners are heading for a showdown with Kanu over his contract demands.
After playing more than 20 matches for the Fratton Park outfit last season, the 31-year-old Nigerian triggered the offer of a new one-year deal as stipulated in the contract he signed with the club last summer.
However Kanu, who netted the winning goal against Cardiff in last season’s FA Cup final to give the south coast club their first major trophy for 58 years, is now expected to tell them he wants a two-year deal.
The former Arsenal and West Brom striker, who has enjoyed an upturn in fortunes under Harry Redknapp following relegation at the Hawthorns in 2006, has reported to have declared as much on Nigerian radio and is set to return to his club next Tuesday to discuss his future.
Portsmouth remain unconvinced though and chief executive Peter Storrie who handles all contract and transfer details for Redknapp said: “Kanu will be back in training next week when we hope he will sign the contract he has been offered.
“In accordance with last year’s deal, we have given him another 12 months. At this moment in time he has not signed it. All talk he now wants a two-year contract is news to us. I was not aware of that at all. He hasn’t spoken to me about it. No-one knows whether what he has supposedly said is factual or not – I will be interested to hear what he has to say when he returns next week.
“As it stands there is a contract there to be signed. If he wants longer nothing has been said to me.”
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